Lack of Leadership, Toxic Workplace - Software Engineer Prewave Employee Review

Looking back, my experience at the company was unfortunately very negative. I truly wish I could say something positive, but nothing meaningful stands out. The few bright moments came from working with other developers who were kind, skilled, and collaborative. Outside of that, the environment made it incredibly hard to stay motivated or feel any sense of belonging. The overall culture felt deeply toxic. There was constant tension and mistrust between people. Instead of working together, many seemed more focused on protecting their close friends. In some cases, these relationships went back to school days and that kind of favoritism shaped how decisions were made. It did not matter if someone was capable or not. What mattered was who they were close to. Transparency was practically nonexistent. Internally, important information was withheld and all decisions were made by upper and middle management without involving the wider team. People were left in the dark even about things that directly affected their work. The same lack of openness was visible externally too, especially in how the company communicated with customers. All-hands meetings were held regularly but they had no real substance. They felt like performances rather than genuine opportunities to inform or engage people. There was no space for discussion, no insight into the actual state of the company and certainly no invitation to participate in shaping its direction. It felt like those in charge simply did not trust or value the rest of the team. Many people, especially in leadership positions, lacked the experience and skills required for their roles. What was frustrating is that these roles were often given based on seniority rather than ability. Just being there longer seemed to matter more than having the right qualifications or the ability to lead effectively. This created a confusing structure where competent voices were often ignored and poor decisions kept being repeated. The general way of working felt chaotic and unstable. There was no clear direction. Priorities constantly shifted. Communication was inconsistent and sometimes just missing altogether. It was difficult to feel like the work had meaning or purpose when the environment was so disorganized. One of the hardest things to accept was the way the company tried to present itself to the outside world. There was a lot of talk about having a social mission and about standing for something more than profit. But internally, it became obvious that this was more about image than reality. In truth, it operated just like any other business trying to break into the automotive industry and make money, without much regard for the values it claimed to uphold.